The Chicago Bears have made it through the first wave of NFL free agency where they added some impact starters that have already bolstered the roster.
There’s still plenty of work for Bears general manager Ryan Poles, as there are still roster holes that need to be filled heading into the second wave of free agency and the NFL draft.
With the slew of moves made over the last week — from signings to cuts to trades — the roster looks different than it did more than a week ago. And that’s certainly impacted the projected depth chart.
Here’s a look at the Bears’ current projected depth chart after the first wave of free agency:
Quarterback
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string |
| QB | Justin Fields | PJ Walker |
There’s no doubt that Fields is QB1 entering his third season. Meanwhile, the Bears made it perfectly clear that Walker was brought in to be Fields’ backup, as they released Trevor Siemian shortly after.
Running back
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string | Other |
| RB | Khalil Herbert | D’Onta Foreman | Travis Homer | Trestan Ebner |
| FB | Khari Blasingame |
We’re definitely going to see a committee approach at running back, anchored by Herbert and Foreman. But don’t be surprised to see Homer incorporated more as a receiving threat out of the backfield.
Wide receiver
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string |
| WR | DJ Moore | Equanimeous St. Brown | Daurice Fountain |
| WR | Darnell Mooney | Velus Jones Jr. | Joe Reed |
| WR | Chase Claypool | Nsimba Webster |
The Bears’ wide receivers group is the strongest it’s been in years, with Moore, Mooney and Claypool leading the charge as the team’s top wideouts. Chicago will likely add a couple more receivers, perhaps in the draft, to join St. Brown and Jones as the wideouts to make the roster.
Tight end
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string | Other |
| TE | Cole Kmet | Robert Tonyan | Jake Tonges | Chase Allen |
Kmet is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and he should be a big part of the Bears’ passing game in 2023. Chicago found an upgrade at backup tight end in Tonyan, who will serve as a nice red-zone threat.
Offensive line
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string |
| LT | Braxton Jones | Larry Borom | |
| LG | Cody Whitehair | Ja’Tyre Carter | |
| C | Lucas Patrick | Doug Kramer | |
| RG | Nate Davis | Dieter Eiselen | |
| RT | Teven Jenkins | Alex Leatherwood | Kellen Diesch |
The offensive line remains a work in progress this offseason, where the Bears will look to add some pieces in the NFL draft. But, where things stand, Jones remains the starting left tackle and Davis was brought in to start at guard. Poles did mention we could see Whitehair at center. But, with the current roster, he stays at left guard while Patrick gets the nod at center. But the one glaring hole remains right tackle, where I’ve got Jenkins penciled in for now.
Defensive line
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string | Other |
| DE | DeMarcus Walker | Dominique Robinson | Jalyn Holmes | Terrell Lewis |
| DT | Justin Jones | Donovan Jeter | ||
| DT | Andrew Billings | |||
| DE | Trevis Gipson | Gerri Green | Andrew Brown |
The Bears still have some work to do along the defensive interior and edge rusher, but they did add two starters in Walker and Billings. Jones is the starting 3-technique until the team finds another, likely in the draft. The same can be said for Gipson at defensive end.
Linebacker
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string |
| WLB | T.J. Edwards | Sterling Weatherford | |
| MLB | Tremaine Edmunds | DeMarquis Gates | |
| SLB | Jack Sanborn | Kuony Deng |
The Bears overhauled the linebacker position and free agency, and the team’s starting linebackers are set with Edwards, Edmunds and Sanborn. There are some questions about where Edwards and Edmunds will line up — be it WILL or MIKE — but for now, Edmunds certainly fits the bill at middle linebacker.
Cornerback
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string |
| CB | Jaylon Johnson | Jaylon Jones | Michael Ojemudia |
| CB | Kindle Vildor | Greg Stroman | |
| NCB | Kyler Gordon | Josh Blackwell | Harrison Hand |
The Bears’ cornerbacks are anchored by Johnson and Gordon, but they still need a quality third cornerback. For now, Vildor is a starter on the outside opposite Johnson, which forces Gordon into the slot. Jones and Blackwell, both undrafted rookies a year ago, are quality depth.
Safety
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string |
| FS | Eddie Jackson | Elijah Hicks | Adrian Colbert |
| SS | Jaquan Brisker | A.J. Thomas |
There’s no doubt that Jackson and Brisker will lead a strong safety group for Chicago. While DeAndre Houston-Carson remains unsigned, that could mean an increased role for Hicks in his second season.
Specialists
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string |
| K | Cairo Santos | |
| P | Trenton Gill | |
| LS | Patrick Scales |
The Bears return their core starting specialists after Scales was signed to a one-year extension. He’ll join Santos and Gill to maintain some consistency on the special teams unit.
